Topaz...

[CJR]

I was given a sampler of Topaz hops (vacuum packed) and was wondering if there was anybody who had used them. I'm wondering how you used them and what kind of flavours and aromas they impart?

Cheers,

CJR

[seymour]

Adnams did in their Topaz Gold, but I haven't tasted it. Their (rambling) commercial description reads:

"Adnams Topaz Gold ’A pale golden ale’ Tasting notes & ingredients A pale golden ale at 4.0% abv with soft apricot and lychee notes, medium body and bitterness but with a crisp finish. Brewed with two Australian hop varieties – Summer, a relative newcomer, and Topaz, which has been around for a few years. What’s the story? Topaz Gold is inspired by one of Fergus’ visits to the hop merchants where he ran into an Australian hop supplier. The hop variety Topaz has been found to have a lot of wonderful flavours so we use it much later in the brewing process so we can extract very small amounts of bitterness and lots of flavour. Want to know more? Topaz was initially developed because a small amount can add a lot of bitterness, reducing the amount of hops needed in a beer. It’s perfect to be enjoyed alongside spicy Thai and Indian food."

You could also skim the Ratebeer listing to see what drinkers thought about it.

It's also used along with Galaxy (to which it's frequently compared) in Samuel Adams Tasman Red IPA. Sounds to me like it's fruitiness works well with caramelly, reddish amber, IPA type beers.

[Patterd Ale]

I too received the sample and was quite excited. I opened the pack...I still have the opened pack upstairs. Really should throw it away.

[seymour]

I too received the sample and was quite excited. I opened the pack...I still have the opened pack upstairs. Really should throw it away.

I don't get it. Because you could already tell it was bad, or what?

[Patterd Ale]

It's quite possible that I am mistaken, but it smelt so dull that I had no enthusiasm to use it.

[wilsoa11111]

ive yet to use the hop but i have 1kg of it tucked in the freezer from one of the sponsors, i hope its decent, been let down a bit by the new uk pilgrim and pilot varietys i have tried so far

[robbarwell]

Just bought 5kgs of Topaz...just opened it ever so slightly, smells a bit like cascade and Chinook...I might be wrong

[seymour]

I just found another fun-looking beer which contains Topaz, check it out!

http://www.samueladams.com/craft-beers/dark-depths

Samuel Adams Dark Depths (Baltic Porter IPA, fermented with lager yeast), 7.6% ABV, 55 IBU. Sounds tasty to me!

[robbarwell]

the experiment with Topaz went very wrong...I ended up with 70 litres of horrible beer, would not clear, smelt off so I presume was off so is now slug food.

Trying again next week

[Patterd Ale]

Gutted, it didn't smell that bad!

[Jocky]

Had a very nice Topaz IPA from The Kernel brewery a few months ago.

Think single hop American Pale Ale/IPA.

[sunny_jimbob]

I just found another fun-looking beer which contains Topaz, check it out!

http://www.samueladams.com/craft-beers/dark-depths

Samuel Adams Dark Depths (Baltic Porter IPA, fermented with lager yeast), 7.6% ABV, 55 IBU. Sounds tasty to me!

*adds to the list* That looks magic!